Motor vehicle clutch



June 9, 1936. L L. CURCURU i 2,043,794

MOTOR VEHICLE CLUTCH4 lF'ile'd May 19, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS June 9, .1936. L CURCUR I 2,043,794

MOTOR VEHICLE` CLUTCHA Filed May 19;'1953 4 sheets-sheet 2 M j l 3 j June 9, 1936. y L. l., cuRcuRu y 2,043Q794 Y f MOTOR VEHICLE CLUTCH i Filed May 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR .Liborio L. Cuz-cum ArroRNr-:Y l r Patented .hlune 9, 1936 AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Moron vEmcLE cm'ri'in Liborio L. Cnrcurn, Ferndale, Mich., .allgnor of one-third to Otto F. Barthel, Detroit, Mich.

Appiieeiien Mey 19,-1933, serien Ne. 671,869

s claims. (ci. 19a-ss) The present invention relates to a mechanical Figure 1 is a longitudinal Vertical QIOSS Secdevice for engaging and disengaging master tion of the 'present actuator appliedto a master clutches such as are used on automobiles and like Clutch; vehicle. A Fig. 2 is an end elevation illustrating the con- The primary object .of 4the present 'invention is trol yoke;

` bei' being non-rotatable but slidable so that itv engage the masterelutch whenthe braking or:`

to accelerate or open the throttle of the auto- Fig. 3.is aV longitudinal vertical'c'rosssection of the actuating devicein' neutral' position wherein the master clutch is caused to be engaged; 1

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical' cross section `o f-` 51 to,provide a clutch actuating device including constituent members having engageable friction surfaces, one `of said members being connected to rotate with the ywheeland the other memposition; ,l i.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the actuator. unit, j

partly in cross section, and` illustrating a positionY causing master clutch disengagement:` Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and illustrating '15 another stage of operation;

f Fig. rVis a. fragmentary perspective detail. of

, the cam actuatingsleeve; L .j Fig. 8 isa perspective detail of a part `ofthe actuator; Y g 20 Fig. 9 is a partial sectional detail of aroller i thrust bearing shock elimina springend re' tainer assembly; p i i Fig.- 10 is an elevation of the thrust roller bearing'j assembly; e 1 gg Fig. 11 is a partial elevation of a'modiiied ofretainer for thrustroller bearing;v i.

Fig. 12 is asection on line z -Z of Fig. 11: Fig. 13 is a partial elevationoi':l another xnodinl i cationof thrust roller bearing; so Fig. 14 -is a cross'section of athrottle pedal; E Fig. 15 is'aplan view of pedal control mech'- anism; and e E Fig. 16 is a vvertical section oi the pedal control 4 may be moved into engagement with the first member to brake or retard the rotation thereof.

The member which rotates with the ilywheel embodies instrumentalities which function to disretarding place. i

A furtherl object of the invention is to provide 'a manual control for an automobile clutch actuating device so that the latter can be operated by movement` of an accelerator pedal, the purpose being to cause the master clutch to be automatically engaged by movement of the pedal tending action of the second member'takesmobile engine and to cause the master clutch to automatically disengage as a result ofl movement of the pedal tending to deoelerate or close the Y throttle of the engine, thereby resulting in free wheeling, and also permitting gear shifting without the usual application of the -usual'clutch dis` engaging pedal- A further object of theinvention is to provide means connecting the said manual control of the clutch actuator to the usual automobile brake pedal, the purpose being toeuiemetieeily miwhiinism.V L Y $5 cause the master clutch to become engaged when". Like 'hlmtefsi 0f reference mused through the automobile brakes ere applied. thereby eute-V out to designate corresponding i 1 i metieeuy eliminating the free wheeling eenen and Referring to Fis- 1 the numeral l 111mm causing transfer gf some of the braking load to ciutchjhousin'g of an automotive-vehicle power t the automobile engine.

40 .A plant of a type to which the present device is par 405 the eecueting devicegin master einen iol i A further object ofthe invention is to provide a lseparate control pedal for the actuating device which will cause themaster clutch to be engaged independently of the accelerator and brake pedals'.

With the foregoing and other objects in viewV which will more fullyhereinafterappear. the in vention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the principle or spirit of the Iinvention. i

In the drawings,

ticularly adapted, 'it being undertsood that the present device can be adapted to any conventional automotive vehicle power plant by alight varia-- to a shaft 8 which is vrotatably ilii'nlled'in bearings Il in the housing l. A cl'uwh pressure plate 5' is supported adjacent to the driven disc` l by 1studs a which project through openings in a clutch 55 cover plate I4, the latter being secured to the iiy- .wheel 3 by bolts I5 that have lock washers I6 under the heads thereof. 'I'he pressure plate 5' is held against rotation relative to the cover plate I4 by dowels I'I which are mounted in the cover plate to project into recesses I1 in th'e pressure plate. A plurality of main springs I8 `are'compressed between thepressure plate and the cover plate nuts I2 which are screwed onto the ends of the studs 9 in a manner to compress coiled springs I3, which are sleeved on the studs 9, between the pressure plate 5 and the iingers III.. Springs 22 are interposed between the cover'plate I4 and the part ofthe fingers I8 which extend inside said cover plate I4 in a manner to normally hold the ngers in their neutral position.

A shaft I9 is rotatably journalled to extend transversely in the clutch casing I and has arms 28 secured thereto by pins 2|, the arms 20 extending upwardly in a manner to provide a rfork to engage clutch actuating members to be presp ently described.

A clutch actuator supporting sleeve 23 is secured to the clutch housing I by bolts 26 and is disposed concentric with the shaft 8 which extends through the same and into the transmission housing 2. The sleeve 23 has a stop ring 24 mounted in a circumferential groove adjacentv to its outer end and a key 25 mounted in a lengthwise extending groove as shown.

A thrust plate 29 is secured to the coverplate I4 by bolts 33, nuts 34 and lock washers 35. A lubricant retainer assembly 38 and 3l is secured to the thrust plate 29 by a lock ring 32. The thrust plate 29 is shown secured to the cover plate I 4 but .it may, if desired, be formed as an integral part of the cover plate le, thus eliminating bolts 33. nuts 34, lock washers 35 and the finished surfaces which are necessary to secure the parts together.

A lubricator fitting 36 of the check valve type is mounted in the thrust plate 29. The thrust plate 29, because it is secured to the cover plate I4, revolves with the vflywheel 3, and it is formed with an annular part 29' formed inthe center thereof and providing a smooth, cylindrical bore. In the bore in the annular part 29 is inserted a sleeve 31 having a smooth outside surface and an inner .surface formed with splines 31a extending a part of the length at the front end thereof and having a smooth inner bore at the other end. The sleeve 31 is formed with an outwardly directed flange i31b at the front end thereof, the ange having a smooth friction face 31e at its rear side and a cam surface 31d at its front side as clearly shownA in Fig. 8. In the sleeve 31 is loosely inserted a.v

sleeve 38 having splines 38a formed on its outer surface adjacent to one end and received in the splines 31a in the sleeve 31. The sleeve 38 has an end flange with a conica! friction face 38h. A circumferential groove 38e is formed at the front end of the splines 38a and afterr the sleeve 38 is inserted in the sleeve 31 a. split fiori: ring 39 is snapped into the groove 38e. The lock ring 39 thus serves to retain the sleeve 38 within the sleeve 31 inasmuch as lengthwise movement of the splines 31a tending to remove the sleeve 38 is .blocked by. the'ring which extends around the sleeve 38 and thus across the grooves between the splines 38a. As indicated in Fig. 7, the sleeve 38 has three inner diameters 38d, 38e and 38j of different diameters.

Sleeves 31, 38 and lock ring 39 are so assembled as to allow the sleeve 38 to move longitudinally a predetermined distance before b utting against the rear end of the annular part 29' on the thrust plate 29. An extending spring 40 urges the sleeve 38 to the rear, causing `the lock ring 39 to engage the front ends of the splines 31a` to move the sleeve 31 into frictional engagement with a friction surface 29a, on the thrust plate 29, under sufficient pressure to cause the sleeve 31 to rotate with the thrust plate and thus with the flywheel 3, the driving connection thus provided being non-positive. Inside the front diameter 38d of the sleeve 38 is inserted a sleeve 4I having a smooth outer surface and an outwardly directed 'flange 42a at its front end holding a thrust washer 42. Slightly spaced from the rear end of the sleeve 4I is a circumferential groove containing thrust ring 43. The sleeve 4I has a smooth inner bore which is countersunk to provide a conical friction surface dla, at its front end. In the inner diameter 38e, and surrounding the sleeve 4I to engage the ring 43, is an extending spring 44 urging the sleeve 4I to the rear. The sleeve 4I is provided with an outwardly directed flange 4 Ib.

Between the sleeve 4I and thrust washer 42 is held a drum 45. Between the cams 31d of the sleeve .31 and flange ilb of the sleeve 4I are disposed rollers 48. The rollers are held in place by roller pins 41 that are secured in outer and inner cage members 48 and 49 respectively, which are held in concentric spaced relation by spacers 52, and springs Sill are held between the cage members by retainers 5I.

In the modiiied form o! cage illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 the two cage members are arranged so that the inner `rnember 49 fits snugly in the outer member 4f.. The inner member 89, however, is bent away from the outer member at certain points so as to provide a space between the two cage members to accommodate the rollers 46. 'Pins 41 may be employed as illustrated in Fig. i3 to secure the rollers illustrated in Figs. li and 12 in place.

A dished retarding plate 53 has an annular friction member 54 secured therein, the retarding plate being rigidly secured to a sleeve 55 which extends through the sleeve 4I. -The sleeve 55 is formed at its front end with a conical enlargement having a friction band 58 secured thereto and a spring 51 exerts pressure tending to hold-the friction band 54 against the friction surface 38h of the sleeve 38.

In Fig. 16 a clutch operating lever 58 is illustrated as secured on the end of the shaft I9 which extends through the side wall of the clutch housing I, and a link 59 is provided with a yoke 59a on one end and threads 59h on the other, the yoke 59a being pivotally connected to the outer en'd of the lever 58. The other end of the link is slidably and `adjustably secured to a trunnion 82 by a nut 60 and lock nut 6I which engage one side of the trunnion through which 'the link extends, the other side of the trunnion are provided with smooth inside bores to support the. shaft C1. A sleeve 1! having cam faces 12a at one end and a straight-square face at its other .endnissecured toand rotatable with 5 the 'shaft i1. 1l is a sleeve secured to the shafts* smit s1.` reversaandsleeves uns and u Secured t0 the shaft .Till definitely spaced relation; and the sleeve 51| is loose relative to the` shaft 51. An'. extending.- spring 11k exerts Vpressure tending to separate said sleeves 14 and 15.

2.0 .1I is a throttle lever pivoted at-`one end on the master shaft `01 and atits other end on a t rotatable throttle shaft." which extends through `an axial bore in theshaft 51.-

`A clutch applying pedal 1I is mountedon the shaftY l1 and has a cam 15a in its hub `to fit the cam 12a onthe sleeve 12, the pedal being freely rotatable on the shaft 51. A sleevevspacer 80 holds the pedal 1l spaced from theV bracket 10.

i l! and.l are levers'wlth hubs freely rotatable 3 on the shaft s1 and cams m and ssa oir-their respective hubs. A clutch applying pedal M has a hub v-fi'eelyrotatable on the shaft 51 and a cam .lla' 'on the end of .said hub. llisthe .usual 'brake operatingepedaljand I5 a clutch :operatingi slotted I1 fhilving 'adjusting yokes Il fand lock nuts Il eonnectthe'levers v 'Il 'and to brake antlecliltchk pedalslre-l spectively.

- f 'si and szfireftnrottie levers secured lonthe Y 40 o ter' mams-tannin u. :Brake innii clutch pedal bracketsgll are provided ,to'` support the clutch and smit ss on, which the Vperitos and n-lare'mounteu, i e e j l1 is swinging onvthe -toe dandvirocingbleasshownin, rigtueonthe www mitin.'

tion and operation ofthe saine-will be'V readily 1 'The parts injFlg. l5 have been shown-ln' a position-,causing clutch engagement, it being assumed 5 that-pedal u has been'depre'ssed, and thatfitis. v beingj'held in a depressed position. The rst function during depression'of the pedal 8ll was engagement ofvcamlla with cam lla, and this .engagement caused rotation of sleeve 14 until the o projection 1lb became aligned withj-the notch 15a. .The projection 1lb entered the'iotch 15a and in so doing the lengthwise movement ofv sleeve 1l, necessary for such a function, imparted i lengthwisemovement to the shaft 51. and the 5 movement of shaft Bl'carried sleeves 12 and `'I3 lengthwise-land moved them out of cooperative relationship with the cams 18a and 82a respec#l tively. It thus becomes apparent that pedal 84 acts as a master control for moving the shaft im 61 to move lever 66, rod 59 and, lever 58 to rotate shaft I9. Rotation of shaft i9 causes movement I of arms 20 and retarding plate 53 with its component parts and l5 engaging the sleeve M, as in Fig 5, and causing it to be gradually retarded, thus rotating rollers 45 and causing i "meternos-inmates the-.evenement i' o invention by reference characters the fc'onstruc- ,osavss a' t 3 them to descend on the cams 81d whereby sleeve Il moves away from theilngers I0 and springs I8 may engage the master clutch.

As-is described 'in a later stage of the description, means is provided in association with 5 I the throttle and'brake pedals for actuating the master clutch. y 'Inepedsl u and its conneted parts.' functioning asabove described, constitutes means independent of the means associated with the throttle-stud brakel pedals for actuating the 10 A master clutch. When thelmanualvpressure is removed from the 4pedal Il the spring 51 func'- tions to movethe retarding plate 'll forward,

and through .the above described train of con nections (Il, Il, 5l, Il, lvl and 56) rocks shaft 15 51 back to the starting position and eifects release of the'lnaster clutch. 4

After setting the automobile engine ln Vmotion to rotate the flywheel l with the clutch released the operator may shift gears into first speed po- 20 .sition and' proceed by applying the accelerator pedal 1I and pedal 10 gradually and insynchronlsm with the throttlelever 1l, allowing the clutch to engage properly as follows; in this specinc or partiouar construction as will be observed 25 from Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4 the parts of the automatic device, with the exception of the retarding plate 53., revolve with the flywheel. By applying the pedal 1l the-sleeve cam 1 2aiis engaged by the cam 18a andthe-pressure. of the spring 8l is 30 suflicient to cause a. clutchingaction between the two camstorevolve vthe shaft -61' and leverlt.

The rod fll isgpulled. upwardlyby movementof the shaft 01 and the levert causes theshaft I9 to rotate@ notation of the shaft is moves the 3 y 2,01 moves'the stationary retarding plate g 5l tothe rear with its component parts Bland thus engaging the sleeve 4l as in Fig. 5 and causlngfit tobe gradually retarded, thus rotating the. rollers 4I. allowingatheln to--descend on `40 l1dii causing the sleeve 4| to move away from thee-fingers il so that the pressure of the springs Il 'may engagethe masterclutch.

'n When Vthe projection 1lb lsin the notch 15a it ,l

tendsftoretard rotation-ofthe shaft 51-and 45 causesthepedal'to continue its travel without furtherrotating-the shaft. The spring compensates for' any commercial imperfections whichmight'cause too great aV movement of the link 59. Attention will now be called to several 50 features resulting just previous to full engagement. Y f i FirsLg-f-In Iilg.3thes1i dab1e sleeve 5l, friction ring- 5I and retarding plate 53 are forced against the shoulder of the sleeve 2l while the sleeve 4I 55 continues the travel fora short ldistance,-.thus separating ,it from the sleeve and friction band 5I and allowing it to resumeits rotation vwith the rest of the device and the flywheel.

Second-The drum 45 travels with the sleeve 60 n 4I and thus-slides in the packing or lubricant retaining assembly 30 in the annular part oi the plate 25 and prevents a quick return of the sleeve Il due to the fact that any air or oil incosed within the annular part of the plate 29 will be 65 trapped between the drum I5, lubricant retainer assembly Vlili, Il, plate 29, sleeve 31, sleeve 38 and sleeve Il, and the frate of escape of this air or oil from between theseY slidably related parts will determine the rate of movement of the sleeve 4i. 70 Third-At compfetion of said engagement each .miler l5 has reached the low pointv of its cam tldand has still a certain rotating momentum opposite to that of the sleeve 31 and in order to avoid clashing a cushioning springi is in- 75 serted between each roller and shoulder of the adjacent cam. As shown in Fig. 10 the rollers are mounted in a cage formed of two cage rings i the ilywheel.

In releasing: Pedal 9i is released, allowing the accelerator pedal 15 to rise and the springs 'il and 8l to move the shaft tl to its original or neutral position wherein the projection 'lb is withdrawn from the notch 15a, and the shaft i9. arms 20, lever 5t, link 59, lever 66 and shaft 6l are free to move. Thereupon the spring 5l advances the retarding plate 53 to engage the clutch face 38h of sleeve 38. The sleeve 38 is thus retarded, and retards with it the sleeve 3l, through splines 31a and 38a, and rotates the cam 31d opposite from the sleeve il and flywheel 3, causing `the rollers to climb to the high points of the cams 31d, thereby repelling the sleeve di and through the washer t2 pushing the fingers i0 and releasing the master clutch.

Attention will now be called te the means for automatic releasing of the sleeve 3e from the retarding plate 53 as follows:

In Fig. 4, the sleeve 55 has been moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 until the bottom of itsconical enlargement comes into engagement with the ring 26 which engagement prevents further movement of the sleeve in a left hand direction as the drawing is viewed. At this time the ring t3 at the rear end of the sleeve di has come into engagement with a shoulder in the inner rear bore of the sleeve 38. This action takes place a short distance before the full lengthwise travel of the sleeve di, at which point the sleeve 38 is engaged and forced away from the friction member 5d, through the action of cam sleeve 3l and rollers t. At this time the eiements it will have been moved to disengage the clutch.

The high points of the cams 37d on the sleeve 31 have a small depression 31e as shown in Fig. 8

immediately adjacent to the high peak of each cam and these depressions cause the vrollers to stop in a. somewhat wedged position due to the limited travel of the sleeve di caused by the ring #33, inner shoulder in the sleeve 38 and. rear end of the annular part 29' of the plate 2S. The shock thus caused on cani 31d is absorbed in. this case by friction between the rear face tlc of the flange 31h on the sleeve tl and the front face of the plate 29.

Another import-ant feature in said releasing action rests in the fact of eliminating the use of thrust ball bearings, said action taking place within the clutch itself, namely, between the plate 29 and the clutch lingers i8.

Returning to the control mechanism of Figs; l5 and 16, there is a linkage composed of parts 8l, B8 and 89 connecting the brake pedal @E to the lever 82. On application of said brake pedal t5, lever 82 is rotated, engaging the cam sleeve lil, shaft 61, lever et, rod 59, rotating lever 53, shaft i9, arms 2t, and causing the stationary retard-v said lever to partially rotate its hub cam 83a upon application of said clutch pedal so that the cams 15b and 83a permit the spring 1l to withdraw` the projection Mb on the sleeve 'it from the notch 15a in the sleeve 15,allowing the 5 shaft B1 to return to its neutral position and releasing the clutch inthe mannerV above described.

Pedals and levers are so arranged with their respective cams that when one is applied the others remain in their neutral position.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that various changes may be made Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is:

l. In combination with a master clutch having resilient means normally causing engagement thereof, a part rotatable with the moving part in said clutch and supporting movable members for disengaging said clutch, a sleeve rotatably journalled in said part which rotates with said clutch and adapted' to rotate with said part through 25 friction therewith, a second sleeve adapted to engage said movable members so that movement lin one direction causes said members to disengage said clutch and movement in the other direction permits said clutch to be engaged, cams formed 30 on one of said sleeves, rollers mounted between said cams and said second sleeve so that relative rotary movement of said sleeves results in relative longitudinal movement, and a retarding member, said retarding member having a 35 i part adapted to Ifrictionally engage said rst named sleeve and a part adapted to frictionally engage said second named sleeve to selectively cause relative rotation in opposite directions.

2. An actuator for a clutch-said actuator including an annular cam member adapted to rotate with the moving part of a clutch through a frictional connection therewith, an annular body operatively connected to said clutch so that movement in one direction causes disengagement 45 means normally causing engagement of the same, 55

a sleeve adapted by longitudinal movement in one direction to disengage said clutch and by movement in the other direction to permit, said clutch to engage, a part adapted to rotate with said clutch, a second sleeve rotatably journalled 60 in said rotatable part and adapted to rotate with said part through friction therewith, said second sleeve having annular cam surfaces, rollers between said carn surfaces and said first named sleeve, a third sleeve rotatably mounted on said 65 rst sleeve and splined within said second sleeve to have a limited longitudinal movement relative thereto, resilient means interposed between said first and third named sleeves, and a retarding device adapted to selectively engage ksaid first and third named sleeves.

The combination with. a clutch actuator, a shaft operativelyconnected to said actuator, a plurality of pedals rotatably mounted on said shaft, said pedals having hubs formed with cams,

aoasnes cams secured to saidshaft adjacent to said hubs, one ot said pedalsbeing adapted through the cams thereon to rotate said shaft to move said actuator in a clutch disengaging direction, a cam member, and another pedal having a cam adapted through engagement with said cam member to rotate said shaft to movesaid actuator in a. clutch engaging direction.

v5. An actuator for a clutch having-resilientv means normally causing engagement of the same, a sleeve adapted by longitudinal movement in one direction to disengage said clutch and by movement in the other direction to permit said clutch to engage, a part adapted to rotate with said clutch, a second sleeve rotatably Journalled in said rotatable part'and adapted to rotate with said part through friction therewith, said second sleeve having annular cam surfaces, rollers between said cam surfaces and said ilrst named said retarding device in one direction, and any' other pedal on said-shaft and adapted to move the same .to cause movementof said retardin'g device in the opposite direction.

6. An actuator for a clutch havinga rotatable part and resilient means for causing engagement of a driven part therewith, a plate carried by said rotatable part, an annular cam member rotatably journalled in said plate and normally rotating therewith through frictional engagement,

van annular body operatively connected to said driven part sowthat longitudinal movement in one direction thereofgcauses said driven part to be disengaged from said rotatable part and move? ment in the opposite direction permits said resilient means tocause engagement of the driven part, said annular body being supported relative to said annular cam member whereby it Amay normally rotate therewith, rollers mounted between said cam member and said annular body so that relative rotation in opposite directions causes said annular body to be moved longitudinally in one direction and opposite relative rotation permits movement in the otherdirection, and a retard'ing device operable to selectively retard said cam member and said annular body. y y rraonro L. condono. 

